


Potholes in Paradise

by SerialObsessor (ibelieveinturtles)



Series: Donuts in My Bra and Other Stories [6]
Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Paradise, Post-Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-08
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-10-01 02:33:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10178735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ibelieveinturtles/pseuds/SerialObsessor
Summary: Darcy finds Paradise in a post-apocalyptic world





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [turntostone](https://archiveofourown.org/users/turntostone/gifts).



> llygaidwideshut asked:  
> Got another one: Potholes in paradise
> 
> Sorry this has taken so long :-)

llygaidwideshut asked a question  
Got another one:

 

**Potholes in Paradise  
**

 

 

The land on either side of the road is devastated. It's hot, dry and dusty, and looks as if it hasn't seen even a single drop of rain in the long decade since Thanos scorched the world. When she looks closer she realises that there are traces of buildings alongside the road, but this is one of those places that was completely destroyed. She's not entirely sure where she even is - most road signs have been cannibalised for scrap years ago - but after walking a bit longer she decides she doesn't really care. A dead city is a dead city, and she's seen plenty of those.

She adjusts the scarf around her nose and mouth as she trudges on, eyes sharp as she scans the distant horizon of the valley for …well, anything really. She's forever grateful for the sunglasses she'd found in a miraculously un-looted house last week. She turns to look behind her. The rest of her company trails behind by a good three or four hundred meters, the two wagons going slowly over the road that is so full of corrugations and potholes that it's a miracle they haven't broken an axle yet. As she turns back to look ahead again something catches her eye in the distance. There's a glint, a sparkle, and her vision blurs in the heat.

She fumbles for the binoculars hanging around her neck, and takes a good long look. Behind the hazy mirage shimmering up from the ground she thinks there might just be a building. Further inspection doesn't really reveal anything, but the road takes a turn a little further along, and as she draws closer she realises that there's another road forking away towards the glimmer.

She reluctantly decides to wait for the wagons to catch up before she goes any further - she's only tagged along with this group because they were going the same.direction, but she has a sudden suspicion that she's about to take a diverging path.

In spite of the slow going she only has to wait a little while, and then the wagons are pulling up beside her.

“What's up Darce?” Cally asks. Cally and her sister are the leaders of the small family group, and she gets on well with them.

“Something off to the left there. Could be a building but it's hard to see through the haze.” She points it out as the other woman brings her own binoculars up.

“Could be right,” she grunts as the others join them. “You gonna investigate?” she asks.

“Yeah,” Darcy nods. “I think I might.”

Cally nods, and walks away. She's back almost straight away with an extra water canteen that she hands over wordlessly.

“I'll catch up if it's another dead end,” Darcy says. “Otherwise, good luck.”

They shake hands, and then Cally pulls Darcy in for a quick hug before releasing her.   
“Stay safe,” she says, and they part ways.

Darcy doesn't bother sticking to the road any more but cuts a direct line to the hills rising above the valley floor. As she's walking she sees more evidence of a once mighty city reduced to dust. All of the cities affected like this were given a wide berth - there was nothing left to loot or use, so no one came.

The hours pass swiftly. She pauses regularly to drink, rest and eat. She's got enough supplies to last about a month as long as she's careful.

She's about halfway to her destination when the haze clears, and the view through the valley reveals that yes - there's definitely a building there. She doesn't bother worrying about stealth - if there's anyone there they'll have seen the wagons in the valley anyway, and would most likely have been watching her progress the whole time.

She's walking along at a steady pace when she notices something off to one side. It's a rock, and there's lettering on it. She detours to take a closer look. The dirt won't clean off, so she sacrifices a tiny bit of her water to try and get a look at the writing. The first three letters are ‘W’, ‘e’ and ‘l’. It's no surprise when the word is Welcome. She keeps cleaning. To. Welcome to… Paradise. She sits back for moment, surprised. Her memory might be a little hazy about that time, but she was pretty certain that last time she'd spoken to Jane, she'd been about to take a trip to Paradise, Nevada. Yeah - because she'd given Darcy a history lesson about why the Las Vegas Strip was, actually Paradise. She stood up and turned a slow circle before coming to rest facing the hill again. It was impossible not to hope.

The sun is only a hand span or so above the horizon when she approaches the roughly built cottage. It looks like it's been cobbled together from the rubble of several dozen different buildings, but it's also sturdy. Whoever built it, knew what they were doing.

She stops about a hundred meters away, unfolds the tiny little stool she insists on carrying everywhere, and sits down to wait. If anyone is in there, they'll either show themselves or she'll break in and spend the night inside the shack on her own before going on her way.

The sun sets. The door opens, and there's a familiar figure silhouetted by a surprisingly bright light shining from inside.

She stands up, folds her chair and steps forward into the unknown.

 

 

 

 


End file.
